"I think Donald's campaign has been immensely beneficial for our campaign," Cruz said. "And, and the reason is he's framed the central issue of this Republican primary as who will stand up to Washington? Well, the natural follow up if that's the question is who actually has stood up to Washington? Who has stood up to both Democrats and to leaders in their own party?"

Cruz was asked by NBC "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd if that was what separated him from Trump and Republican presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

"And from everyone else on that stage," Cruz responded. "I think my record is markedly different in terms of actually standing up and taking on the Washington cartel."

He and his Texas billionaire backers are just biding their time until Trump and Carson flame out at which point he'll be the logical anti-establishment candidate to take on Rubio/Bush/Kasich/whatevuh.